


Face the Night

by Illindus, Sakimori



Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Mystery, Unconventional Format, text adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2020-09-01 22:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20265844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illindus/pseuds/Illindus, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakimori/pseuds/Sakimori
Summary: Yukimura Homura is the player character in the titular text-based RPG. She is a girl whose curiosity leads her to a fascinating organization hidden to most of the world, but integral to its continued existence. Her quest and their mission overlap, and they soon uncover yet another cataclysmic plot.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is written with little to no editing. It's played as a traditional RPG, with Illindus as the player and Sakimori as the text parser, across multiple sessions with only rough plans in place. Lines beginning in > indicate text input, where all others are parser output.
> 
> Updates are irregular, but I refuse to allow this story to go untold.

Initialization complete. Please wait while the game is generated.  
.  
..  
...   
Generation complete. Press any key when you are ready to begin.  
>Start

You’re sitting on the couch on the ground floor of your home. The lights are off, but the television shines brightly. An old western film is playing.

Your sister is trying very hard to avoid dozing off in the loveseat. Your parents are out of town, and it’s just the two of you right now.  
>Look at television

It’s a modern flatscreen television. There are no noticeable buttons on the exterior, and it’s big enough to be comfortably seen from any point in the room. You don’t know the name of the film, but it has John Wayne in it. He has a pistol, like always.  
>Look at sister

She’s sitting with her leg on the seat, her head propped up by her arm on one of the armrests. She notices you staring at her and blinks a few times.

“Can I help you?”  
>”N-no, I was just wondering if you were bored.”

“Of course I’m bored! There’s nothing to do in this stupid town without any cash! Everything fun costs money, or is illegal.

Not like that’s ever stopped me before though, right?”

She smirks at you.  
>”S-so, do you wanna go do anything?”

She cocks her head to the side. She thinks for a few moments, and her eyes slowly shut. You hear a faint snore.

Through the window behind her, you can see a few lights appear on the horizon. They’re moving towards you, but they’re a fair distance away.  
>”Um… Sis? You might wanna look outside.”

A low, rhythmic thumping slowly fades into earshot as your sister blinks herself awake. She stands up and turns around, looking outside the window.

“Are those… helicopters? I wonder if anything’s on the news. Have you seen the remote?”  
>”I’ll look for it.” Look for remote

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>”I’ll look for it.”

She waits expectantly.  
>Search couch

You pull up the couch cushions, searching for the remote control. You spot it out of the corner of your eye, on the coffee table. Perhaps you should have looked around for it first.  
>Pick up remote  
You now possess the remote control. Your sister holds out her open hand.  
>Give her the remote

She takes the offered item, and starts flipping through channels. She finds the local news station.

“-nd that’s why you should look… before you leap. Back to you at the station.

Lovely story, very heartwarming. Now, in sports-”

Your sister scowls. “They must not be news copters.”  
>”W-what are they for then?”

She turns around again, staring at the lights. They’re circling the nearby mountain.

She grins at you, and you’re afraid of what she’s thinking.  
>”Um…”

“Let’s go find out! Grab a jacket… or a coat. Meet me by the door!”

She vaults directly over you and the couch, running for the closet by the front door.  
>Look at closet

You peek over the top of the couch. Your sister is rummaging through the coats in the closet, looking for something befitting of her person. All your winter gear is stored there.

It’s cold outside, so if you plan on joining her, a coat is probably for the best.  
>Pick up coat

It’s too far away!  
>Walk to closet

Not interested in being as flamboyant as your sister, you walk around the couch towards the closet. As you approach, she straightens up and splays her arms towards you, displaying her black fleece-lined coat.  
>Look at coats

There are several coats in this closet, belonging to yourself, your parents, and your sister. Many look warm, but some are clearly just for looks. Two in particular catch your eye: your school coat, which you know for a fact is warm and cozy, and one of your sister’s black coats.   
>Pick up school coat

You hold your school coat in front of you. It’s been with you for a long time, but you’ve kept very good care of it. Your sister chuckles quietly.  
>Search for gloves

You drop the coat in front of you and rummage through the closet looking for gloves. You find a pair of warm-looking gloves.  
>Put on gloves

You think the gloves suit you.  
>Search for scarf

You quickly locate a fuzzy black scarf. 

“Oh, yeah. If you think you need it, go ahead. Don’t want you getting sick.”  
>Put on scarf

You wrap it around your neck and lower face. You feel safer, almost like your sister herself is protecting you from the cold.  
>Pick up coat

You pick up the coat from its pile on the ground.  
>Put on coat

You slip your arms inside and button up. It feels cozy, like home.  
>”Do you think I need a hat?”

Your sister puts her hand on her chin, then throws open the front door. A gust of wind blows in, chilling you to the bone.

“Um… probably. Grab me one too, right?”  
>”Alright.” Search for two hats

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Search for two hats.

You locate two hats. They’re both a navy blue, and lined with faux fur. They look warm enough.  
>Give one to Sakura

“Thanks!” She smiles warmly. When she isn’t getting herself into trouble, she’s the sweetest person you know.

“Ready to head on out?” 

She’s standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, ready to face the night.  
>”Y-yeah!”

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

She runs out of the front door, and crosses the road. She pushes through the usual bushes and waves you across.

You get a bad feeling about this.  
>Examine path

It’s the same route you always take when on foot. The local corner store, friends’ houses, exploring the town, it always starts here. A weak spot in the bushes lining the road can be pushed past, leading to a trail through the forest.  
>”Um… Which way were they?”

Your sister cups her hand to her ear for a moment before shaking her head and waving you over. You’re an entire street away, and you’ve never been the loud type.  
>Go to her

You cross the street. It’s never busy during the day, so in the dead of night it’s always safe.

She points up once you’re safely across. Through the canopy of trees you see one of the lights has stopped moving, and is hovering in place. The other two are circling it.

“I think that’s the mountain. Good thing we took it easy today, I’m ready to do some skulking!”

She grins at you and stomps down the path towards town.  
>”A-alright…”

>Follow her

You follow her, using the moonlight to keep your footing through these familiar trails.

It’s a short trip towards town, only a few minutes’ walk with your shortcuts. You spy your local corner store through the trees, which is encouraging. You didn’t get lost.

Less encouraging is the array of flashing blue and red lights spread throughout the street.  
>Look around

You take in your surroundings.

The store is closed, and has been for a few hours. The parking lot is small, and empty.

The street in front of the store has been blockaded by police cars. You see an officer walk up to the door, knock a few times, and re-join his comrades. They look bored.  
>”Um… S-sis what should we do?”

She looks back at you over her shoulder. She looks… excited? You’re not surprised, she revels in this kind of thing.

“It’s time you took charge, Homu. I’m following your lead on this one!”  
>”M-Me?!”

She steps back towards you and puts a hand on your shoulder. She’s smiling at you.

“Yeah! The worst that can happen is they drive us home and tell us to stay out of trouble. Let’s see what you’ve learned from me!”  
>”Alright…”

She hugs you tightly.  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.  
>Check Police officers

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Look at police’s position

There are three cars blocking the road. All of them have their flashing lights on. Two officers are leaning on their car, and are talking about something.  
>Look at parking lot

The parking lot is only big enough for about a dozen cars. It’s completely empty, save the usual trash that’s blowing around. The glow from the streetlights barely illuminates it.  
>Listen into the police’s conversation secretly

From your spot on the far side of the parking lot, still in the woods, you’re not able to pick out any of the words. Neither of them look upset, but one looks tired.  
>”O-Okay… What if we go around them through the parking lot?”

Your sister beams. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Why mess with the cops if they don’t know we’re here?”  
>Nod

You nod.  
>”A-Alright, let’s do this…”

>Sneak past the police through the parking lot

Staying as far from the light as possible, you slip out of the woods and into open ground. You cross the far side of the parking lot as quickly as your legs can take you, your sister close behind you.

The cops carry on their conversation.

You’re now in an alleyway behind the buildings that make up most of your town’s daily activity. The grocery store, pharmacy, and hair salon are all here. You usually come here after school, never at night.

Something moves a few dozen feet down the alley.  
>Quicksave  
GAME SAVED.  
>”W-Who’s there?!”

You get no response. A flutter of wings from the roof adjacent to you startles you and your sister.  
>Look in direction of the sound

This is the alley the shops keep employee entrances and garbage for collection by the city. You see no movement, but vermin are common back here amongst the trash. The moonlight is weak, but still present.  
>Look at roof

You look up, and see the silhouette of an owl fly into the night sky.

“I guess they eat the rats back here.” Your sister breaks the eerie silence.  
>”Y-yeah I guess so…”

>Look around

The alley continues for most of the length of the main road, to the other end of town. You’re near a few dumpsters, and behind you lies the parking lot for the corner store. Passages and streets to the main road are found occasionally on the right hand side of the alley. The left is a chain-link fence.  
>Search for the helicopters

The helicopters are almost directly ahead of you. You guess that they’re about twenty minutes’ walk past the edge of town, so about thirty minutes from where you are now. They haven’t changed behavior from the last time you checked.  
>”H-Hey sis…”

“Hm?”  
>”Did you bring a flashlight?”

She reaches into her coat and pulls out a small silver tube from one of the pockets lining the inside. She presses the button on the back, and the front projects a cone of light. She hands it to you, a smug grin on her face.  
>Turn off flashlight

You press the button, turning off the flashlight.  
>”A-Alright, should we get going again?”

She leans against the wall, looking expectantly at you.  
>”Alright then…”

She waves her hand in front of her in a circle. “Go on…”  
>Go in the direction of the helicopters

You set off down the alleyway. As you move, you peek down the side streets. Many roads of the town are blocked off by the police. This is definitely not a normal Saturday night.

Your coat keeps you warm and cozy as the breeze helps you along, pushing at your back. You look over your shoulder every now and again, to make sure your sister is still there. She is, and she’s proud of you.

You reach the edge of town with no incident. The road to the trailhead up the mountain continues ahead, but you no longer have buildings to hide behind.

The flashing lights seem to all be behind you, and the helicopters still haven’t moved.  
>”W-what do you think’s going on?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

Your sister leans against the end of the fence, sending a rattling sound back down the alley.

“Maybe some hiker got lost. You know we get all sorts of visitors. Weird about all the cops though… they make me nervous.”

She pauses, and smiles. “Not like you could tell though, right? That’s the trick.”  
>Nod

You nod in agreement.  
>Enter the forest

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

You set off down the forest road. You never come this far on foot, but you’ve driven here with your parents several times. 

It’s a well travelled road in good repair. The city takes care of it, because a good portion of their visitors are hikers and backpackers interested in climbing the mountainside. Good first impressions, and all that.

There’s no sidewalk, but a dirt track reveals that plenty of people before you have chosen to start their walk in town, rather than the trailheads at the other end.

You hear a low rumble behind you. Headlights are approaching.  
>Look for a place to hide

The road goes through the forest surrounding the mountain. Your mountain. The trees, and the darkness, should give you plenty of opportunity to hide.  
>Grab Sakura’s hand and hide behind some of the trees

You grab your sister’s hand and pull her away from the road, into the forest. You crouch down and stay still. The headlights are nearly upon you.  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.   
>Peek at whatever’s making the headlights

You peek around the tree you’re taking cover behind.

A convoy of black cars and vans fly past you. You’re sure that’s not safe, and also not legal, to go that fast on this winding road. Five vehicles in total drive past before once again leaving you in darkness.  
>”W-Who were those?”

Your sister makes a rustling noise. The headlights ruined your dark vision, and it’s nearly impossible to see anything.

“No idea, but they were in a rush.”  
>Wait for eyes to get readjusted

You wait around for a few minutes to get reacquainted with the darkness. Your sister twiddles her thumbs.  
>Continue in the direction of the helicopters

You stand up and walk back to the trail. With your sister behind you, you proceed towards the mountain.

You reach the picnic area, surrounded by the various trailheads. The parking here holds scattered vehicles belonging to adventurers on the mountain. The black vehicles that passed you earlier are also present.

One of the picnic tables is brightly illuminated by the stationary helicopter’s spotlight. 

A woman in a white lab coat is conversing with a well-built man in a red button-down. Two girls are sitting at the table, pointing at a document they have spread out across its surface. You can’t make out much detail, but their blue and fire-red hair are easy enough to pick out from here.  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.  
>Secretly listen in on their conversation

Both of these conversations are taking place almost a hundred feet away from you. There’s no chance of gleaning any information.  
>Move close enough to listen in while still being out of sight

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Stay hidden but move closer

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Sneak closer to them

Using the cars as cover, you close the gap between you and these persons of interest. They seem far too invested in whatever brought them here to worry about little movements in the corner of their eyes.

You find yourself crouching behind the restrooms, sister by your side and foul smell in your nose.  
>Pull up scarf to cover nose

You pull the scarf up over your face to keep the smell of the bathroom out. Much better.  
>Listen in on the conversation

I’m not sure what you’re trying to listen in on.  
>Secretly listen in on the two adults’ conversation

The woman seems concerned, a stern look on her face behind her glasses. “Was it really necessary to shut down the entire town? You’re only bringing attention to us!”

“After the intrusions we’ve been dealing with, we have no idea who else has the information we have. We can’t risk anyone trying to crash our party.” He speaks firmly.  
>Whisper, “They shut down the town?”

Your sister looks worried. “Yeah, didn’t you see all the roadblocks? If they’re still there in the morning, people aren’t going to be happy.”  
>Continue listening in on the adults’ conversation

The woman pouts, and the man laughs. “You know I’m right, Ryouko. If word gets out, our entire operation is through.” He casts his eyes across the various other people in black suits milling around. “Everyone would be out of work. It’s worth the hassle.”

His shoulders heave in a sigh. “We have to find the Yawarakai-te. You’re sure it’s here?”

Ryouko puts a hand over her mouth and laughs smugly. “Of course I’m sure, Genjuuro-kun. Complete relics are very distinct, after all.” She pauses. “If we’re lucky, the Juuchi Yosamu should be here too.”  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.  
>Get into a coughing fit

You cough loudly into your hand. Your sister throws her hand over your mouth. You hear a break in the girls’ conversation, but after a stressful few moments, they continue.  
>Whisper, “Sorry…”

>Whisper, ”I’ll try not to let it happen again.”

“It’s okay, Homu. We have no idea who these people are though, and they’re definitely not cops. Keep it down if you can.”  
>Nod

You nod in agreement.  
>Continue listening in on the adults

Genjuuro looks pensieve. “I trust in your abilities, Ryouko, but what I don’t trust is… this could easily be a trap. Full relics don’t simply pop up in the middle of nowhere, especially after being lost for over a thousand years. We should have been able to spot it sooner.”

“The signal appeared once, and disappeared almost as soon as we detected it. If this is a trap, our enemies got very lucky that Sakurai Ryouko herself was watching the scanner!” She slides her glasses up her nose, and looks up towards the spotlight. The glimmer of light is impressive.  
>Listen in on the girls’ conversation

The blue-haired girl, the smaller of the two, speaks with a weary voice. “Kanade, why do they need us to do all this hiking? I want to sing with you, to crowds, not sneak around a backwoods mountainside!” She slides closer to the other girl and puts her head on Kanade’s shoulder.

“We have a job to do. Sometimes that’s singing. Sometimes it’s not quite so easy.” Kanade puts her arm around the other girl, pulling her close. “We’ll be able to find the relic, and we’ll get home.” She taps her companion on the nose. “Maybe the other one will be here too, and we’ll both get new swords!”   
>Look around

You’re taking cover behind a bathroom, the last bathroom any hiker will see until they return to town. The picnic area has scattered tables, and the dirt on the ground is compact from all the travellers preparing for their trips.

A helicopter hovers quite far directly above you, illuminating the picnic area and all the trailheads. They’re all well travelled, though the path to the mountain spring doesn’t get used often in the winter.

The other two helicopters are circling with their spotlights, searching for something.

Nearby, Genjuuro and Ryouko are lost in a conversation. Kanade and a blue-haired girl are sitting at a table with a map in front of them.  
>Continue to listen in on the adults

The adults seem to have begun talking about the politics in neo-Tokyo. None of it interests you.  
>Continue to listen in on Kanade and the other girl

The blue-haired girl sits up straight, but leaves Kanade’s hand on her shoulder. She seems to be more energetic now. “Maybe I’ll finally get to teach you how to handle a sword, instead of that lance of yours.” She laughs, quietly.

Kanade laughs along. “Tsubasa, I think I can handle a sword just fine. I can handle you, right?”

Tsubasa bursts into laughter, nearly falling off of the picnic bench. A woman in a suit rushes over, but is waved off by the two girls.

“Alright, well. We’ve already been through these,” Tsubasa says as she gestures at the map. “Which one of the trails should we take next?”

Kanade squints at the document. “That one!” she yells, pointing elsewhere. Tsubasa reaches under the table and returns with two motorcycle helmets.

“It’s one of the easier trails, if I drive slow we might be able to take the bike. Please?”

Kanade laughs and takes a helmet. “If you scratch me up, you’ll be paying for it later, understand?” Her grin is infectious, and you find yourself smiling along.  
>Continue listening in on the girls

Tsubasa and Kanade stand up and walk over to a van, climbing in the back. You can’t see inside from here.  
>Whisper, ”Um… S-so, what should we do sis?”

“I think we should find whatever they’re looking for! Either they’re nice, and we hand the… relics or whatever over and be heroes, or they’re mean. If they’re mean, we’ll have swords and they won’t.”  
>Whisper, ”A-Alright, so which way should we go…?”

“That one lady said they were looking for the Yawarakai, right? I remember this story! Two guys, a master and an apprentice, were having a contest to see who could make a better sword. They each made one, and took them up a mountain to show them off. The apprentice’s… wait, maybe it was the master’s… one of the swords cut everything. Fish, leaves, water, even the wind, it sliced right through. The other sword only cut the leaves. I think they decided the second one was better…”

She sighs and catches her breath. You forgot how smart she was, despite all her messing around with folks she shouldn’t be messing around with.

“Anyway, they tested them at a river spring!” She throws her arm back and points at the trailhead to the river. “Obvious choice, right?”  
>Nod

You nod in agreement.  
>”Oh yeah, I think I remember that story… Wasn’t it though that the second blade repelled everything though? I don’t really remember…”

“We can ask these folks when we show off our fancy ancient swords, right?” Your sister grins.  
>”R-right!”

She snakes off towards the trailhead, waiting for you by the trail information sign.  
>Go to her side

You trace her footsteps, ending up next to her. The trail goes up towards the river, and follows it to the spring. The last time you were here, you could almost hear the river from this spot. The helicopters make that difficult now.  
>”S-So, should we get going?”

“You’re in charge, remember?”  
>”R-right… So… Follow me?”  
She smiles and nods.

>Go down the trailhead that leads to the river

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

You walk down the trail. It’s not a recent event, but you remember bits and pieces of your trip. It wasn’t this cold. It wasn’t this dark. It wasn’t… snowing.

A gentle snowfall begins as you meet up with the river and begin your ascent proper.  
>Look around

You can’t really see much in the darkness. You’ve left the circling helicopters behind you, and you’re a little nostalgic. Those lights in the sky seemed friendly.

You hear the river flowing next to you, far enough away that you’re not worried about falling in. 

You remember the flashlight your sister gave you.  
>Turn on flashlight

The flashlight is still in your jacket!  
>Take flashlight out of jacket

You retrieve the flashlight from the pocket you stashed it in earlier.  
>Turn on flashlight

The forest around you is illuminated with a narrow cone of light.  
>Look around

You shine the flashlight around you. The forest at night is so calm, and with the river so close you feel completely at ease. The snow is slowly beginning to pile on the branches, and without the sun to melt it, will likely be there until morning. You catch glimpses of owls in the trees, startling them into flying away. 

The trail is clearly visible.  
>Continue down the path

You press onwards, sister close behind. The crunch of leaves soon becomes dampened by the thin layer of snow forming on the ground.

The river splits, rejoins, grows weak and gains strength as you ascend, as much an organic part of the forest as the animals are.

As you approach the spring, the snowfall intensifies. The wind, however, fades away into still air. 

You are standing on the bank of the river spring, snow falling around you.  
>”S-So where do you think these swords are?”

“I, uh. I didn’t think that far ahead. Around here somewhere, probably?” She stares at you.  
>Look around

You cast your light around the spring. In the summer, this would be bright with flowers, but in winter everything is a dull grey. The trees are lacking leaves, and the river is slow upon beginning its descent.

The spring is surrounded by forest on all sides. In the center of the water, there is a small island, barely big enough for two people to stand on. A strip of water is frozen solid, seeming to form a path to the island.  
>Look at island

The island is completely flat, and covered in short grass. You notice a single flower, directly in the center of the island. Its pale purple shines bright against the dull backdrop of the otherwise dormant forest.

As you look at the flower, you see it split in half, directly down the middle. Each half falls to the ground, rests for a moment, and rises again to meet its counterpart, reforming into the beautiful flower it once was.  
>”I… I think it’s over there.”

“Woah, you found it?” She turns around and looks at the island.

“Uh… Homu, I don’t see anything.”  
>”Huh…? But it’s right over there.”

She opens her mouth to respond, but the flower once again splits and reforms as she stares.

As the snow falls, you see a silhouette of two sword hilts in the air above the flower form for a single moment before being lost to the snow.  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.  
>Go to the island with your sister

You walk to the waterside, dragging your sister behind you. She resists.

“It’s the middle of winter, we’ll freeze out here if we get wet!”  
>Walk across the strip of water with your sister

I’m not sure what you’re trying to walk across!  
>Walk across the strip of ice with your sister

You bring her around to the strip of ice before stepping out onto the spring.

She yells, expecting the ice to break beneath you. It stays firm, not even giving off a crack.

You walk across the ice, with your sister in tow, until you reach the island.

The flower splits and reforms while the two of you stand over it, on either side of the cramped platform.  
>”I saw two sword hilts in the air over here… W-which one do you want to grab?”

She cocks her head to the side. “They were just… floating here? In the air?”  
>”Um…”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Is the cold getting to your head?”  
>Shine the flashlight on the spot where they were

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Point the flashlight above the flower

You shine the flashlight over the flower. The snow is falling heavier than before, but the wind is still perfectly calm.

From here, you can clearly see the snow… avoiding space. Two pockets of air the snow flows around, refusing to enter. When the flakes line up, you can see two sword hilts in the negative space.  
>Hand the flashlight to your sister

Sakura takes the flashlight, almost absent-mindedly. She’s enamoured by the snow.

She looks at you, a serious look in her eye that looks very out of place on her.

“If you do, I do too.”  
>”Huh?”

“There’s two of them, can’t you see? If you grab one, I’m taking the other.”  
>Reach out in front of yourself

You reach your hand towards the “swords” and are startled when you feel something solid beneath your fingertips. Your sister does the same.  
>”It feels almost like fate…”

“I think it’s more like leather.”  
>Grab the hilt

You and your sister take hold of the swords.

You feel power well up within you, feeling as though it’s coming from the spring you’re standing on. Everything is suddenly bright, brighter than daylight. You look around, unable to do anything else.

You’re still in the spring. Everything is still dull, but it’s… backwards. Black is white, blue is orange, every color has been inverted. A ringing in your ears overpowers anything you could possibly be hearing.

The entire spring is… darkened, oddly, by the spotlight of a helicopter. The negative light shrouds your vision, and along with the sound in your ears, denies you of your senses. You’re shut out from the world, and soon even the ringing stops.  
>Run

You can’t move. You don’t have the strength to do anything.  
>Quicksave

SAVE UNAVAILABLE.  
>Wake up

You open your eyes.

END OF EPISODE ONE.


	2. Chapter 2

Please wait while EPISODE TWO is generated.  
.  
..  
...  
Generation complete. Press any key when you are ready to begin.  
>Start

You open your eyes.

You’re lying down, with a bright light above you. It’s a cool, pure white light. Vaguely rectangular.

After a moment, your vision clears further. You see that the light is a fluorescent ceiling light, and you notice wires, cables and tubes stuck throughout your body. You’re clad in a hospital gown, and the bed you’re laying on is adorned with handrails and a pleasant off-white set of sheets. The pillow is comfortable.  
>Attempt to go back to sleep

You close your eyes and attempt to fall asleep. The tubes are uncomfortable, but you’re able to ignore them with very little effort.

You can’t ignore the hard object that has found itself pressing against your kidneys.   
>Look around

You sit up to get a better look around the room. The first thing you notice is the wide bank of screens beside your bed. Numbers and lines are written and rewritten as the machines monitor… pretty much everything there is to monitor. The second thing you notice is a small blue lamp atop the bank that lit up as soon as you arose.

The room has a wide mirror directly across from you, an opaque door at the far end of the right wall, and a window running across the left wall. The back left corner houses a dark red armchair.

You cast your eyes down, towards the thing that was bothering you. You find it to be a rather modestly sized sword held within a sheath, pure black and laced with thin red lines.  
>”Urgh… Where…Am I?”

A speaker mounted near the TV crackles to life.

“You’re in… a hospital. Please remain still, a doctor will be with you shortly.” The voice sounds hesitant, but not aggressive.  
>Look at sword

The sword is in its sheath!  
>Look at sheath

The sheath lying next to you is leather, dyed pure black. Thin red lines run across it in a pattern that reminds you of brain cells, crisscrossing in a random, organic way that is slightly unsettling. You find yourself wanting to look away.  
>Look at hilt of sword

You bring your gaze to the hilt of the sword, protruding from the sheath. It’s far more ornate than the sheath, with a cross-hatched pattern of silver cutting through a leather wrapping on a grip wide enough for two hands to sit comfortably. The guard is pristine, showing no signs of tarnish or wear.  
>Look at monitor

You’re extremely unfamiliar with the medical equipment in this room. You recognize an ECG pattern, keeping watch over your heartbeat, and a blood oxidation percentage sitting comfortably at 98%.

The door bursts open, but you can’t see anyone walk inside.

A girl appears at the foot of your bed, popping up from below your line of sight. She is wearing a white lab coat over a plain yellow dress, and her hair is pale blonde, extending far past the sides of her head. She stares at you intently before hopping down and moving quickly towards the bank of screens.  
>Get into a sudden coughing fit

You start coughing uncontrollably. The girl gasps and watches one of the screens very intently. After a few moments, she sighs with relief and continues looking at the other screens, writing things down on a clipboard stored nearby.  
>”Sorry…”

She finishes a number and puts the clipboard down before climbing up a stepstool in front of the screens in order to speak with you.

“It’s okay! I’m surprised you woke up at all, this is wonderful!”

She grins.  
>”Where...Am I?”

She looks thoughtful for a moment, and casts her eyes towards the mirror.

“You’re in a hospital. I’m Elfnein, and I’ve been taking care of you for... “

She goes back to look at her clipboard.

“Ah! You’ve been here for six years, two months and four days. I was assigned this project a little over a month ago.”  
>”Six...Years?”

She nods energetically. 

“When they briefed me on this project, I was assuming I’d have to be doing most of my research alone. I’m glad you’re awake, I can learn so much from you!”  
>”My sister…! Where’s my sister?”

She furrows her brow and goes back to the clipboard. She flips through a few pages and looks back at you with a frown. 

“Your sister? I was told there was only one of you…”

She snaps her fingers.

“That’s where the other one is!”  
>”She’s...Not here?”

Elfnein responds as she furiously scribbles across the pages.

“Ah! Yes! That sword of yours is part of a pair, you see, and they apparently picked you up after the… hm, the name is classified... the Something Incident!”  
>”My sword?”

She waves her pen at your waist. 

“Yes! My project!”

She crosses her arms and smiles at you. 

“The Juuchi Yosamu, one of the only complete relics known to man!”  
>”Relics? And...You’re a doctor right? How old are you?”

She opens her mouth, and holds it open for a moment before speaking.

“Right, you’ve been unconscious ever since Sakurai Theory was made public, and you’d have no reason to know about it beforehand…

Throughout history, humans have created or found objects thought to have supernatural or otherworldly power. Most of these have been shattered or destroyed, and their fragments are still…”

She trails off and looks at the mirror again before continuing.

“Very useful! Complete relics are almost unheard of, and are capable of amazing feats. Your sword is one of them!”  
>”I-It is? Also you still haven’t told me your age…”

“Well… it’s more like a complete half of a relic. The Yawarakai-te is thought to exist as well, as a pair with yours, but they haven’t heard anything from that sword since the Something Incident.”  
>Continue listening

Elfnein puts the clipboard down next to the machines, and opens her mouth once more to speak but is interrupted by a tall woman with dark blue hair entering the room. She’s wearing a pair of slacks, and a navy blue button down dress shirt with pockets on the chest. She’s carrying two cups, and walks over to hand you one.

“You must be confused. Coffee?”  
>”Thanks...But I don’t really…Like coffee…”

She smiles warmly at you and hands the cup to Elfnein instead.

“Understandable! My name is Tomosato, and I’ve been a part of this organization since before you were found. I might be more helpful than Elfnein, if you had any questions.”

She walks over to the chair and takes a seat, crossing her legs as she does so. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Elfnein take a sip, grimace, and put the cup down on the clipboard.  
>”Um...Where am I? I was told I was in a hospital but...And what do you mean by organization?”

She turns one of her shoulders toward you, giving you a view of the patch on her shoulder.

“Welcome to the Squad of Nexus Guardians Auxiliary Command Ship! You’re currently in the medical bay. We previously had you in our headquarters, but events transpired that resulted in the decision to move you to a more… evasive medical unit. The main command vessel is far too risky for civilian patients.”

She looks out of the window, squinting in the bright sunlight.

“As for where you are, we’re somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Our exact location is classified.”  
>”T-The ocean?!”

She smiles again. “Where did you expect a command ship to be?”  
>Pout (rather cutely)

Tomosato takes a sip of her coffee, and holds a hand up to her ear for a moment.

“Ah, I see. Homura, the Lieutenant Commander would like to speak with you, but I realize you’re probably very overwhelmed. Should I tell her to wait until tomorrow?”  
>”Ummm…How’d you know my name?”

“SONG is an international organization created to prevent and mitigate disasters across the world. Looking into your past was easy as pie!”  
>”Oh…”

“So, shall I tell her to wait until you’ve absorbed some of this? You must be horribly confused.”  
>”Y-Yeah, that would be nice…”

She puts her hand to her ear again.

“Commander Rhodes, please give the poor girl some time to rest. She’ll still be here tomorrow!”

A pause.

“Well, no, we can’t be sure… Elfnein?”

Elfnein glances down at the clipboard, and gives a thumbs up.

“She will still be here tomorrow. Of course.”  
>...

She stands up.

“If there’s anything you need, just ask. We’ll hear you, I promise. Come on, Elfnein, she needs some time alone.”

Elfnein and Tomosato take their leave, closing the door behind them. The soft beeps of the ECG machine fill the air in the newfound silence.

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.  
>Continue

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.  
>Contemplate all that’s happened

You spend the rest of the day trying to come to terms with all this.

Six years.

Your sister is missing, and these people… SONG… didn’t even know she existed.

You have this sword, for some reason, and they left it on your person this entire time.

The window grows dark as the sun sets, and soon after, you fall asleep, exhausted by all these revelations. 

You awake to a knock at your door, the sun shining brightly once more.  
>”Y-Yes?”

A woman speaks through the door.

“May I come in?”

Her voice is not one you’ve heard yet.  
>”A-Are you the Commander they mentioned?”

“I am. May I come in? This door would make conversation hard.”  
>”Y-yes… come on in…”

The door opens gently, and Lieutenant Commander Rhodes steps in.

Her hair is dark red, and barely touches her shoulders. Freckles are barely visible on her cheeks. A stripe of purple hair flows down the right side of her face, and her eyes are hidden by a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses. Her uniform is similar to Tomosato’s, but with a different patch on the shoulder and fewer pockets.

She gestures at the chair.

“Do you mind if I sat down, or would you prefer me to be closer?”  
>”N-No I don’t mind if you sit…”

She closes the door behind her as she walks through, taking her seat in the corner. You can’t see exactly what she’s looking at, but you get a feeling she’s staring directly at you.  
>”Um…”

She leans back and smiles.

“As the commanding officer of this subma… ship, I will answer any and all questions headquarters has given me clearance for. I’m an open book, with a few redactions here and there. Ask away, Homura.”  
>”I...Umm...Uh…”

“Alright, how about this.

You remember the Noise, right? Came around every now and then, caused a disaster, then we’d clean up. Over and over, once or twice a decade?”  
>”Yeah. Of course I remember the Noise.”

“I’ve got some good news, and some bad news. Pick one.”  
>Stare at her with a cold expression

She frowns, and takes off her sunglasses. She folds them and tucks them in the collar of her shirt.

“They’re gone. For good. Completely and utterly annihilated. It was quite a victory, and the precursor to my organization is responsible.”

“That’s the good news.”  
>”Hoh...That’s nice...So what’s the bad news.”

“That, er… that depends. When you went up that mountain, were your parents in Tokyo?”  
>”Yeah, why?”

“A man and a woman with your last name were victims of a Noise attack shortly after your incident. We have been hoping they weren’t…”

She frowns again.

“I’m sorry.”  
>”And what else?”

She stares at you.

“I… must I say it?”  
>”No. I just thought there might’ve been something else you had to say.”

“It’s why Division 2 kept you under their custody. Your relic, along with the fact that you had no family to contact, made the decision easy for our Commander. He’s...”

She pauses, struggling to find words.

“He’s alright. Loves to help kids in need, and I respect that. I’d have made the same decision.”  
>”So, they’re dead huh…”

“Yes. As of yesterday, I scoured records for a girl around your age with your last name. Couldn’t find a trace. If anything happened to your sister, the United Nations doesn’t know about it.”  
>”I-Is there a way for me to be able to find her?”

“Funny you mention that.”

She nods in your direction and puts her sunglasses back on.

“That sword of yours might be the lead we need. It’s still got the energy of a complete relic, and Elfnein tells me that means the Yawarakai-te is still around somewhere. And if it’s anything like yours, she’s still got it.”

She smirks.

“That sword is a piece of work, I’ll say that much.”  
>”So when can we start looking?”

“Eager, eh? Just woke up from a six year nap and already raring to go.”

She smiles.

“I’m going to like you, Homura. Unfortunately, you’ve got the misfortune to wake up just after an assignment. We’ve just embarked on an op, and we’ve got to take care of this first.”

She beams at you as she continues.  
“It’s my first operation with SONG, and I’m going to prove I deserve a submarine too. I’ve got the team, I’ve got the intel, and the op is relatively routine. Shouldn’t be too much trouble.”  
>”T-Team? A-Are there others on this boat?”

“Okay, first of all, it’s a ship. Not a boat.”

She clears her throat.

“Hard to have a command ship without anyone to command, eh? You’ve met our onboard Alchemist and Medical Officer, Elfnein. She volunteered for this mission, and I’m happy to have her with me.

Tomosato is one of my administration officers. She also brews a mean cup of coffee.

Ivan is my second in command. You might meet him, might not, but either way, he’s everything a girl could ask for in an XO.

We’ve also got a couple combat units on board. One is new, but we’ve got training rooms available, and plenty of time before we reach the United States. Hopefully the others can get her up to speed, and above that, we shouldn’t need them anyway.”  
>”I-I’m sorry, did you say Alchemist?”

She cocks her head to the side before smacking herself in the forehead.

“Right, you’ve been out for six years. The short version is that alchemy is real, it’s nothing like what you think it is, and Elfnein is pretty good at it.”  
>”Oh...H-how old is she anyway…? Nobody answered me yesterday…”

“Oh, that’s a complicated question. Er… 650 years or so, if we’re going by her mind. Her body was made about six months ago?”  
>”Oh...So...N-new combat unit?”

She stares at you for a moment. 

“You pick the strangest things to ask about, but I’ll indulge you.

We’ve had reports of possible alchemist activity in the southeastern US, and we’re going on a recon mission to see what’s going on. We don’t know of any active alchemists besides Elfnein, and we don’t like not knowing things. The Gears are here in case things go south. Two of them have… well, they’re heroes. The third got recruited about a week ago, and she wanted trial by fire training.”  
>”Gears?”

“Okay, let’s get to that one later, when you’re feeling better, eh? It’s easier to show you.”  
>”Alright…”

“Anyway…”

She trails off and looks at the ceiling briefly.

“Right! The sword. It’s fascinating, that. Any specific questions about it, or are you in the mood for a lecture?”  
>”Umm...Nothing specific right now...S-so can you give me the lecture?”

She smiles and rubs her hands together.

“Oh, it’s a doozy. Everything I’m about to tell you is the absolute truth, as far as we know, okay?”  
>”O-Okay…?”

“First of all…

It’s yours. It’s completely yours. Division 2 tried to take it from you, but it was… stuck. Clearly not actually stuck, but it just didn’t want to anywhere that wasn’t with you. 

This next part is very, very important.”

Her smile fades.

“Don’t pull it out. For the love of all that is holy, don’t pull it out. Elfnein says that sword is bloodthirsty, and the sheath is the only thing keeping it back. Given the legend of that blade, I’m not inclined to test that theory.”  
>...

“It also keeps you alive. Literally. You were in a bit of a state after the incident. Horrible burns, broken bones, the works. Turns out, activating a relic can be very, very bad if done improperly. 

You healed completely in a day and a half, according to records. Life support was unnecessary, and we haven’t had to perform any sort of care that we’d normally have to for long-term coma sufferers. 

Elfnein has no idea how, or why, and frankly it’s slightly scary. We don’t like unknowns.”  
>...

She leans back, sinking slightly into the cushions of the chair.

“Pretty sure that’s the full story. If you’d like, I can order medbay staff to take off all your monitors and let you explore the ship a bit. Most things are off limits to civilians, but you, as a person, are classified, so I’m going to go ahead and give you a pass on that.”  
>”I see…T-Then s-sure.”

Rhodes stands up and smiles.

“Would you like a tour guide? Most of us have nothing to do during transit. I’m also comfortable letting you wander, the ship is extremely well-signed.”  
>”Y-Yeah...I think I want someone to show me around…”

“Anyone in particular?”  
>”N-Not really?”

She puts her hand on her chin in thought.

“I’ve got someone in mind, actually. I’ll go ask her while they get you unhooked. Hang tight, eh?”  
>”A-Alright then…”

She makes her egress, waving over her shoulder and turning to talk as she does so.

“I’ll be back in five, maybe less.”

She closes the door behind you, and shortly after the door swings open again.

Elfnein pops up beside you once more.

“I’m going to start undoing the monitors, okay? There’s a lot here!”  
>”O-Okay...Will it hurt?”

She smiles, her eyes closed.

“Nope! You shouldn’t feel a thing!”  
>”A-Alright then…”

Elfnein quickly removes your IV and other monitoring cables and scurries out of the room, grabbing the clipboard on the way out.

You are now free to move about the ship.

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.  
>”I-I forgot to ask for a change of clothes…”

The speaker activates once more, Tomosato’s voice coming through.

“I left you an outfit, at the foot of your bed. I hope you don’t mind wearing a dress, though if you’d like something else I can bring that instead!”  
>”Don’t worry, I like wearing dresses.”

You hear the buzz of the speaker fade.  
>Look at outfit

You peer over the end of the bed. You see a bra, underwear, and a neatly folded blood red dress on the footstool Elfnein must have been using.  
>Put on clothes

You reach down over the bedframe and drag up the clothes. You quickly change into the outfit, though it’s hard to see how you look in it while you’re still sitting in bed.  
>Walk to mirror

You hop off the bed and examine yourself in the mirror. The dress is unpatterned, but the shade of red suits you rather well. It has short sleeves and a modest neckline, and flows down just past your knees.  
>Look at footwear

You spot a pair of black slippers sitting near the door.  
>Put on slippers

You slide the slippers on to your feet. They fit extremely well.  
>Look around

From your spot near the door, you cast your gaze around the room once more.

You notice that the “mirror” on the wall is actually highly reflective glass, with a room barely visible on the other side.

The window reveals an expanse of ocean, with no land or clouds in sight.

The door clicks, and swings open. Rhodes pokes her head in, and waves you outside.

“Would you like to meet your tour guide?”  
>”S-Sure!”

>Go through door

You step out into the hallway. Behind Rhodes stands a much shorter woman.

Her blonde hair flows off her shoulders, covered by a dark blue hood attached to a jacket of the same color. Her arms are crossed, and her hands are covered in black fingerless gloves. Light blue jeans cover the tops of her black running shoes. 

She makes no effort to greet you as her icy blue eyes size you up.

Rhodes clears her throat.

“Homura, this is Klara, the new Gear I told you about. She’s been given clearance to demonstrate the Gear system, if your tour takes you past the training rooms. Klara, please make an effort to make our new companion feel welcome.”

Klara nods, her expression unchanging,  
>”Um...I-it’s nice to meet you Klara...I-I’m Yukimura Homura...Wait you already knew that...Ummm…”

She offers her hand for you to shake. 

“Eklund.”  
>Shake her hand

Her handshake is solid, but not very strong.  
>”Oh...Ummm, s-should I be carrying around the sword?”

She looks down at the sword on your waist, and looks over at Rhodes. Rhodes answers.

“Er… if you want to try storing it in your room, feel free. Elfnein has a suspicion that you can’t put it down, but who knows?”  
>”I-I’ll just keep it on me…”

Klara speaks up. 

“That’s probably for the best. Now come, we have a big ship here. Not big enough for the Commander though, ja?”

Rhodes furrows her brow and frowns at Klara.

“It’s what I’ve been given, and I’m perfectly happy with it.”

She turns to leave.

“If you need me, I’ll be on the bridge.”  
>”Bye…”

Klara turns to you, her eyes focusing on you once more. Her stare is very inquisitive, with no malice behind it.

“As I said, we have a big ship. We’re in the medical wing now. There are a few places of note I’d like to show you, as your guide.”

She pulls a pen and a pad of sticky notes from the left pocket on the front of her jacket. After writing a few words on it, she peels the top note off and hands it to you.  
>Look at note

She raises an eyebrow at you as you crane your neck to read the note as she holds it.

BARRACKS  
BRIDGE  
TRAINING  
DEPLOYMENT  
CAFETERIA  
ARMORY  
REC  
>”Umm...I’ll...Let’s go to the training room first…”

She keeps her eyebrow raised, and sticks the note to your right shoulder.

“Training room it is. Please, follow me closely. It’s hard to get lost, but it’s easy to lose someone, understand?”  
>Nod

Klara sets off down the hallway, in the opposite direction of Rhodes.  
>Follow Klara closely

As you track Klara through the ship, you notice full maps posted on the grey metal walls at regular intervals. Every intersection is signed with a few points of interest in each direction. It really would be hard to get lost in here.

After a few minutes of walking, you enter a doorway and are greeted by a man seated behind a security desk. He sees you and waves you through with a smile.

Klara moves past him into the short hallway lined with doors.  
>Continue following Klara

You step past the desk as well, joining Klara. There are six doors here, three on each side of the hallway, and spaced rather far apart. The one directly next to you is closed, while the other five are open.

You think you can hear faint music playing on the other side of the door.

“Of course. Kazanari is always here. You’ll meet her soon, I hope.”

She speaks with a friendly tone, and steps through the door opposite the closed one.  
>Continue following Klara

You step into the room.

It’s large, about the size of a basketball court. The walls are lightly padded, and the entire room is shaded in various tints of beige. A black sphere, slightly bigger than a beach ball, is embedded in the center of the ceiling.

“These are our training decks. The projection technology allows us to train in any given scenario, with any restrictions we wish to place upon ourselves.”

She smirks. 

“Or any restrictions the Commander requires us to have. She’s very strict about our training.”  
>”Oh...So...She mentioned something earlier that she didn’t clarify…”

“The Gears, ja?”  
>”Y-Yeah those...What are they?”

Klara reaches down the neck of her jacket, and pulls out a pendant. A thin pink cylinder with notches engraved into it, hanging on a simple silver chain.

“This is a Symphogear. It’s a bit of a mouthful, so we mostly call them Gears. Tachibana likes the full name, though, and I’ve never asked her why. She is not with us on this operation.”  
>”S-so what do these...Symp...Sympho...Gears do?”

She pauses.

“It’s easier to show you.”

Klara walks over to a console on the wall and presses a short sequence of buttons. One of them lights up green. She turns back to you.

“Lots of Noise are about to appear. They are not real. They cannot hurt you. Understand?”  
>”Y-Yeah.”

She grins, and smacks the green button with her open palm.

The world seems to shimmer, and you suddenly find yourself standing on a tropical beach. The heat warms your skin, the wind makes the leaves of the palm trees rustle, and the large group of Noise that appears makes you jump slightly.

Klara closes her eyes and lays her fist across her chest.

“Kitsill Mjolnir saren tron...”

Music suddenly fills the air.

DUE TO FILE SIZE LIMITATIONS, MUSIC MUST BE PLAYED EXTERNALLY. GENERATING LINK…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFj2Hjcn2LE

Klara’s clothes explode off of her, replaced by a glowing aura and two golden rings around her hips and bust. After a short wait, a blinding flash erupts. Your vision clears.

Klara stands before you, a large warhammer in her hands. The shaft is pure white, while the head is a pale sky blue. Her hands are covered in large gauntlets in the same shade. Blue and white armor panels extend up and slightly past her shoulders. Her chest is covered in a single white panel, with soft blue padding covering her sides and back. Black armor covers her midriff, and flows down into a jet black plateskirt. White greaves reach from her feet to meet more blue padding on her thighs. She wears a black headset that wraps around the back of her head, accented with blue rings on the ear cups.

Most striking is the fact that she is singing along to the music.

She looks over at you and smirks, striking a pose before sprinting towards the Noise.  
>Look on in awe

She meets the group of Noise with an uppercut, throwing herself into the air with the weight of the hammer and a gust of wind summoned beneath her. Almost screaming the next line of her song, she brings the hammer down in the center of the group, obliterating all ten of them in a tremendous explosion of wind and lightning.

A word fills your mind for a moment, as if the strike has a name. Cirrostratus.

More Noise appear next to you, far from Klara’s new location.

She swings her hammer in a wide, reckless arc, sending a sparking shockwave towards the newcomers. As the wave cleaves through them, another word. Cumulonimbus.

She walks calmly back towards you, smiling as she sings through the chorus. As she finishes, the music fades, and in a final flash of light, you see her standing before you in her original jacket.

Smirking, she speaks once more.

“That… is Symphogear. Any questions?”  
>”Whoa…”

She walks back to the panel on the wall, smacking a red button. The projection fades, returning you to the beige room. There’s a hole in the floor.

Klara grimaces.

“Rhodes won’t be happy about that happening again. I’ll just tell Ivan.”

END OF EPISODE TWO.


	3. Chapter 3

Please wait while EPISODE THREE is generated.  
.  
..  
...  
Generation complete. Press any key when you are ready to begin.  
>Start

Klara laughs quietly at her own quip before your vision is once again flooded with a bright golden light. After a moment, it fades. She’s still standing there, calm as before, clad in her rather comfortable sweatshirt and jeans.  
>”S-So… What now?”

She squints at you.

“Are you not surprised by anything you just saw?”  
>”W-Well...Uhm...I mean I am but...Oh...Uhm...Why singing?”

Klara puffs out her chest and puts her hands on her hips. She clears her throat.

“The Symphogear system was developed by Ryouki Sakurai as a method of defending Japan against the ever-present threat of the Noise. It runs using the power of ancient relic fragments, and activated via… Er… singing.

It’s been made public since you fell asleep, and we use it here at S.O.N.G. to defend against all manner of natural disasters.”  
>”Oh…Uhm...I think I get it...Hmmm…”

“If you truly understand already, you’re a smarter one than me.”

She nods her head at the note stuck to your shoulder.

“Where to next? You can ask more questions on the way, if you’d like.”  
>”Hmm…”

She waits patiently.  
>Grab sticky note

You pull the note off your dress.  
>Look at note

Klara’s handwriting is messy and barely legible. The note reads:  
BARRACKS  
BRIDGE  
TRAINING  
DEPLOYMENT  
CAFETERIA  
ARMORY  
REC  
>”I-I’m a bit hungry so… How about the cafeteria?”

“Good choice. Yukine will be happy to meet our new crew member. Follow me, and if you get lost, you know the signs.”

She spins on her heel and walks over to the door. With a tap of a button, the scenery dissolves into the drab cushioning of the training room while the door slides open. She gestures for you to exit as well before leaving.  
>Follow Klara

You make your way back into the hallway. You can still hear faint music from behind the closed door, and you now have a better idea of why.  
>”S-So...Uhm...This...Uh...Ryouki you mentioned…”

“Oh, ja, very smart woman. She left long before I was recruited. I’ve not heard much about her besides that. Tachibana and Kazanari refuse to speak of her.”  
>”O-Oh...I feel like I’ve heard her name before...Somewhere…”

Klara continues into the ship proper as she talks. You follow her.

“It’s not a rare name. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had.”  
>”W-Well...I remember someone saying a name like it before I...Uh...Found this…”

She stops mid-stride.

“How long were you asleep?”  
>”S-Six? Years...I think…”

She nods and continues walking.

“Near a full relic like yours, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same person. Did you meet her, or simply hear talk of her?”  
>”I...Heard her...I think...I didn’t meet her…”

She laughs.

“You weren’t supposed to find this, were you?”  
>”Y-Yeah...We weren’t…”

Klara stops by a doorway, and taps the sign above it.

CAFETERIA

“Well, you did, and now you’ve got incredible power in that sheath. Many, many times stronger than my Symphogear, even. 

We’re here.”  
>”Oh...We are...Uhm...So...About the other...What were they called...Gears? Who are they?”

“Well, you’ve already met one. I wield Mjolnir. Or a fragment of it, at least. As for others…”

She leans into the room and looks around before facing you once more with a grin.

“You’re about to meet another. I’ll let her introduce herself, ja?”  
>”O-Okay…”

She steps into the room and walks away from the door, out of view. Inside, you can see a few crew members serving themselves from heated trays. None of them catch your eye.  
>Enter cafeteria

You follow her in. Klara has started to take a seat across from a girl with pale lavender hair and a dress very similar to yours, with some added frills. Her hair is short, with the exception of two long strands that extend almost to the floor. In front of her is a mostly-empty bowl of ramen. The table is a disaster, with bits of noodle and small puddles of broth surrounding her dish.  
>Sit down next to Klara

The new girl pauses mid-bite to stare at you, fork still in her mouth. She moves her stare over to Klara.

“Who’ve thif?”  
>”Uhm…”  
“You know I hate it when you talk with your mouth full, Yukine.”

The other girl swallows.

“And you know I hate it when you call me Yukine!”

“Anything else feels wrong to me.”

The two stare at each other for a moment before Yukine starts laughing. “Really though, who’s the new girl with good taste in colors?”

“Her name is Homura. She’s the one who’s been in the medical bay since… before you joined, if I’m remembering my history lessons right.”

Yukine drops her fork, letting it clatter in the bowl.

“Fuck me, really? You actually woke up?”  
>”Uhm...Yes?”

“Welcome to the team then. Name’s Chris. You know, every time we get a new doctor we have to explain the girl in a coma. I’m… glad you’re awake.”

She resumes eating, attempting to slurp up the remaining broth.  
>”Uhm...Thanks…”

“So, Yukine. Did you save any for us? She hasn’t eaten actual food in six years, after all.”

Chris picks up her fork and points at the serving area. She does not stop slurping.  
>”A-Am I allowed…?”

Chris finally puts her bowl down. “Look, you’ve got an entire relic. The commander is gonna bend over backwards to get you on her team.”

She looks over at Klara, looking back with a smug smile.

“Ugh… our team. Of course you’re allowed. Get some food. Ramen’s good today, the fries are always to die for, and I’ve had my eye on that pizza for a while now.”  
Klara stands up and puts a hand on your shoulder.

“I’ll get it for us. Any preference?”  
>”Uhm...Pizza sounds nice…”

“I can do that. Wait here.”

Klara walks off, leaving you and Chris at the table.

“I’ve only been with these guys for a year or so, but it feels like home here. You’re in good hands.”  
>”Oh...So...Uhm...I’m still a little confused but...Uhm...Do you have a...Uh...What are they called...Gear? I heard Klara mention someone in here had one and…”

She grins, and reaches into her cleavage to pull out a necklace very similar to Klara’s. 

“Hell yeah, right here! Ichaival at your service. Guns, bows, rockets, you name it and I’ve got it in my armory.

You said you’re confused... What’s Miss Sweden been telling you?”  
>”W-Well...Mostly I’ve just… Been getting used to being here but...Uhm...So...There are three...Wielders? On here, right? You...Miss Klara and...Who’s the last one…?”

“What, you mean Senpai?”

Chris immediately flushes red.

“Don’t tell a damn soul I said that, okay?

Anyway… you’re probably talking about Tsubasa. She’s probably off in the training rooms or something. You’ll see her around for sure though, she’s impossible to miss.”  
>”O-Oh...I-I think I heard her earlier then…”

“Did you hear kotos?”  
>”I-I think…”

“Yup, that’s her. She’s working herself to death! She should really learn to let loose every now and then…”

Chris trails off as Klara returns with your pizza. After handing off your food, she sets a small plate of fries in front of her.

Chris puts her fork down once more and stands up.

“Hey, Klara, get my dishes for me. Thanks!” 

She opens her mouth to respond but Chris has already left the room.  
>”S-She’s...Interesting…”

Klara sighs deeply.

“She grows on you. Trust me.”  
>Pick up pizza

The pizza is a standard meat-lovers with a crust thick enough to support it as you lift. It’s very warm, but not hot enough to burn you.  
>Eat pizza

The two of you eat in comfortable silence. You watch the crew members filter in and out as they eat. There’s no urgency, no structure. Things are peaceful.

You both finish your meals, and Klara picks up her dishes as well as Chris’s as she stands.

“Shall we get moving? There’s a lot of boat, ja?”  
>”Y-Yeah...Uhm…”

“Grab your plate, follow me, and tell me where you want to go.”

She walks over to the bussing area and tends to her dishes.  
>Pick up plate

You pick up the painfully standard-issue plate. It’s white, it’s circular, it’s got pizza residue.  
>Walk over to bussing area

You bring it over to the bussing area. There’s a few trash cans and a tray full of dirty dishes. Klara is watching you, simply because she has nothing else to watch.  
>”I-It goes on that tray, r-right?”

She nods slowly.

“Did your nap scramble your brains?”  
>”N-No, I-I just wanted to c-check.”

>Place plate on tray  
You set the plate down as to not disturb the dishes already there.

“Alright. Chore done. Where to?”  
>Check note

Klara’s handwriting is messy and barely legible. The note reads:  
BARRACKS  
BRIDGE  
TRAINING  
DEPLOYMENT  
CAFETERIA  
ARMORY  
REC  
>”S-So...I have a question…”

Klara leans back against the window, sun streaming in over her shoulders.

“I probably have an answer.”  
>”S-So...W-What’s in the areas I h-haven’t been in…?”

“Do you know the best way to find that out?”

She smiles at you.  
>”A-Alright...Uhm...Oh gosh…”

“We’ve got time for all of them, don’t worry. Just pick one.”  
>”C-Could I have a general idea?”

She shrugs.

“The barracks is where we sleep. Honestly, not much to see there, we can probably skip it until tonight. You might even be sleeping in the medical bay again, who knows?

The commander will probably be on the bridge. Ivan will definitely be there. You’ll like him, unless he doesn’t like you. We’ll see, ja?

Deployment… deployment is a fun room. I won’t spoil the surprise.

The armory holds all of our weapons of war. Traditional ones, anyway. We’ve also got armor, vests, and repair equipment down there. It’s nice to know what we’ve got on hand.

Rec is because I didn’t want to write out ‘Recreation.’ We’ve got some movies, some couches, a couple video games.

Is that enough for you to pick?”  
>”Y-Yes...Uhm...Could we go to deployment?”

She claps her hands together in excitement.

“Yes, of course, I was hoping for that! Follow me!”

She practically runs out of the room.  
>Follow her

You leave the room and spot Klara turning a distant corner. You give chase.

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.  
>...

You catch up to Klara as she stands outside a closed door. Unlike the others, this one is labeled “AUTHORIZED ENTRY ONLY” and has a palm scanner mounted on the wall beside it.  
>”Uhm...So…”

“So, when you see ‘Deployment’ on a boat like this, what do you think is in this room?”  
>”Uhm...I...Don’t know…”

She pouts slightly.

“Come on, not even a guess?”  
>”W-Well...I-I’ve never been on a boat like this before so…”

“Fair. Ah well.”

Klara holds her hand out to the scanner. You see a pulse of green light, followed by a red bar illuminating on the door. Klara frowns.  
>”W-What’s wrong?”

“My key isn’t working… something is wrong, and I’m not sure what. Perhaps they’ve removed me from the system? I didn’t do anything that bad…”  
>”O-Oh...S-So…”

The door flies into the ceiling with a metallic clang, and Rhodes steps out. She gets one foot out of the door before noticing Klara.

“Eklund! Where is our new member?” 

Klara stiffens up and points behind her, at you. The lieutenant commander turns her head, and smiles when she sees you.

“Ah! I’m sorry, Homura. Are you enjoying everything so far?”  
>”New member?”

“I- er. That’s a conversation we’ll be having later tonight, as a unit. I didn’t realize you were here.”  
>”Well, what were you doing here?”

“Everything needs to be inspected every now and then to make sure it’s in working order. Most things, I let the crew handle. This room is important.”  
>”What’s in here anyway?”

She steps aside, making room for you to enter.

“I’m assuming you two are still on your tour. I’ve finished the inspection, so feel free to look around. Eklund, please don’t have a repeat of last time, okay?”

Klara nods solemnly.  
>”Last time?”

Klara does not respond. Rhodes shakes her head.

“It’s not my place to say. It was expensive to fix though, I’ll say that much.”

She begins walking towards the fore of the ship, and calls back to you over her shoulder.

“I hope to see you two on the bridge later!”  
>Enter room

You enter the small room. It’s brightly lit, and most things are white or grey. The wall of the room adjacent to the hallway is lined with a bench. Several lockers rest on the left wall. Directly across from you are three tubes set into the wall. They remind you of oversized bullet casings, but you can’t see the tips. Each tube has two large rectangular openings cut into it. Inside are handles.

Klara follows you in and waves her arm at the tubes.

“This… is Deployment!”  
>”W-What are these?”

Klara laughs. 

“I don’t know if there’s an official name, but I like to call them the Gear Rockets! I got to use it once and it is life-changing, I assure you.”  
>”I-I’m sorry, w-what?!”

“This is Deployment! If they need us somewhere very quickly, we get launched! I’ve heard that if Yukine is involved, it very quickly turns into a cloud of rockets that can darken an entire sky.”  
>”Y-You shoot yourselves...Out of rockets?!”

She nods vigorously.  
>”W-Why?!”

“It’s very fast.”  
>”I-Isn’t it dangerous?!”

“We can’t use airplanes, and anyone who watches movies knows that helicopters are practically a death sentence. The natural next step is, of course, rockets!”  
>”B-B-But…!”

She stands there, waiting for you to finish your thought.  
>”W-Why r-rockets?”

“I just told you! No airplanes, no helicopters, so obviously…”  
>”I...Wh...Why can’t you use airplanes?”

“Does it look like we have the budget for an aircraft carrier? The only people who get those are the big militaries.”  
>”A-And you c-can get r-rockets?!”

“Much cheaper than an aircraft carrier. Also, in all honesty… a rocket with a Tachibana in it is probably the single most dangerous thing in the sky. For the bad guys, anyway.”  
>”W-Who’s Tachibana?”

“She’s one of the other Gears. Been around the longest, except for Kazanari. She’s a really sweet girl too. I hope you can meet her when we get back.”  
>”O-Okay...Uhm...S-So...Rockets…”

She nods again.

“Ja!”  
>”Rockets…”

“Mhm!”  
>”Rockets.”

“Should we move on? You seem stuck.”  
>”Y-Yes…”

“Okay, where to next?”  
>”Uhm...I guess the bridge...O-Or the armory...I-I can check out the others any other time...They seem like a good place to e-end the day…”

“Alright, bridge then? We can get to the armory on an actual training day.”  
>”A-Alright… Uhm...Lead the way…?”

Klara leaves the room, but waits just outside it. She beckons you.  
>Follow Klara

As you leave, she presses a button on the scanner. The door closes, and the red bar illuminates once more before turning off again.

“And we’re off.”

She sets off down the hallway.  
>...

After a few more turns, you climb a stairwell and reach the deck of the ship. The sun is high overhead and the breeze is stiff, without a single cloud in sight. The smell of the ocean is faint, but there.  
>Look around

You step over to the railing. Klara waits for you with a smile on her face.

You can’t make out any land, or anything else across the vast ocean. The dark blue of the water sparkles with flashes of bright white as the waves hit just the right angles. The railing is sturdy and pristine, without a hint of rust.  
>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.  
>Continue following Klara

Klara pauses outside another locked door near the fore. Through a small window, you can see a staircase leading up.

“You like the ocean, ja?”  
>”O-Oh...Yeah...I-It…”

“I didn’t see much of it growing up. Lakes, mostly. It’s nice though.”  
>”Y-Yeah...It reminds me a bit of home…”

Klara puts her hand on the scanner. The same pulse of green passes, and the door slides up with a clang. 

“See, that’s what’s supposed to happen.”  
>”Huh...I-Is there a-any reason y-you’d be l-locked out of deployment?”

“It was probably the incident. Nothing to worry about, come on, let’s head up.”  
>”A-Alright…”

She climbs the staircase.  
>Follow Klara

You follow her up the staircase, stepping out onto the bridge of the ship. Windows stretch almost all the way around, giving an amazing view of all the surrounding ocean. At the front sits an array of consoles, buttons, and computer terminals. A steering wheel is mounted in the center of the room.

Rhodes is in a very comfortable looking chair, leaned back. Elfnein is busy tapping at a computer at one end of the array. A buff man in a dark brown leather jacket sits near the steering wheel. His grey scarf covers the bottom half of his face. 

The lieutenant doesn’t move when you enter, speaking from her reclined position.

“Welcome to the bridge, girls. Eklund, have you been up here yet?”

“No ma’am.”

“Isn’t it lovely?”

“Yes ma’am.”  
>”Uhm...So…”

Rhodes continues.

“This is the brain of the Aria. Computer systems, detection, navigation, communications… it’s all up here.”

The man hasn’t taken his eyes off you since you arrived.  
>”S-So...Uhm...Y-You wanted t-to see us...?”

She sits up straight.

“Ah, right. Business. Vosh, you did ask the other two to join us, right?”

He nods, and answers.

“They should be here any minute.”

His voice is coated in a thick Russian accent, and you barely understand him.  
>”S-So...Uhm...Uh…”

Elfnein continues typing away in her corner as the man speaks.

“You must be the girl from medical. Congratulations.”  
>”Y-Yes...Uhm...Hi?”

He nods at you.

“I am Officer Ivan Kvoshnik. Your boss. Second in command on the Aria.”

Rhodes interjects.

“One of your bosses! This is still my ship, Vosh! I worked hard to get this…”

You hear Chris’s voice call out from the stairwell.

“You rang, Boss?”  
>...

Rhodes stands up and brushes her jacket.

“I did! Please, come up.”

Chris is not gentle to the stairs as she makes her way up. She looks very surprised to see you. Ivan stands up as well.

“Where is Kazanari?”

“I ain’t her keeper! She’s probably right behind me though, you know her and her ‘protocol’.” Chris puts air quotes around that last word.

As if on cue, another girl appears at the top of the stairwell. Her striking blue hair styled in a single side-ponytail is visible well before she is. She stops and stands next to Chris. 

She announces her arrival.

“Lieutenant Commander. Officer.” She nods to both of them.

She looks familiar to you.  
>”You…”

She turns to face you, and extends a hand to shake.

“You must be Homura. I’m Kazanari Tsubasa. Nice to meet you.”  
>”You’re...From back then…”

A puzzled expression crosses her face.

“Do you remember us recovering you from the crater?”  
>”N-No...M-Me and my sister saw you and...Someone else talking…”

Her eyes narrow.

“I was there, yes.” She looks over to Rhodes.

“May we begin?”  
>Nod

Rhodes presses a button on the array. A table rises from the floor in front of you with a soft whirr, and a screen displays a map of a place you don’t recognize.

“Homura. You happened to wake up at an awfully convenient time. We’re currently en route to a reconnaissance mission in the southeastern United States. We’ve had reports of…”

She trails off.

“Let me start over. Homura. My team is incredible. Two of these girls have saved the world three times over, and that isn’t an exaggeration. But it’s only three.”

She sighs.

“We have equipment on board that can scan for signals generated by relics. State of the art.”  
>”Oh...So…”

She nods.

“As a mobile platform, we can cover more area than anyone else, with scanners that are best in class. I’m also the commander of this ship, and I’m willing to use it to help you find your sister. The catch, though… This operation comes from the only person on this Earth that can tell me what to do. I can’t abandon this mission, nor do I particularly want to. People are dying, and we can save them. So, my question to you…

Are you willing to train with Klara as we make our way to this operation? I need all hands on deck for this, and you’ve got a relic.”  
>”Oh… So… I want to ask… If I help out with this operation… Will you help me find my sister?”

“I will stop at nothing until we find your sister. You have my word.”  
>”Then, I’m all in.”

Rhodes smiles and turns to the Gears.

“Are the three of you okay with this as well?”

Klara nods. Chris flashes a thumbs up. Tsubasa speaks.

“Normally, I would object to having someone with so little training in an active combat zone. However, she’s almost as green as Klara, and has a fully intact relic. I cannot say no.”

Rhodes claps her hands as the sun begins setting behind her.

“Wonderful! Homura, we’ll have you in training by tomorrow. I’ll be talking with Elfnein about a few things we can do for you in the meantime. Klara?”

“Yes ma’am?”

“She’s your responsibility. If she skips out on training, I’m disciplining you both. Got it?”

“Wh- I… yes, ma’am.”

“Good. You are all dismissed.”

END OF EPISODE THREE.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Homura's first mission as a member of S.O.N.G. has finally begun!
> 
> ...slightly ahead of schedule. 
> 
> The combat tutorial is delightfully brief, and the city is rather lackadaisical, but the game wastes no time reminding the player that it isn't free of risk.

Please wait while EPISODE FOUR is generated.  
.  
..  
...  
Generation complete.  
Press any key when you are ready to begin.  
>Start

Just like every day, a loud horn wakes you from a restful sleep. Unlike every other day, the window of your bunk is still dark. You blink away the worst of the grogginess, but you’re not used to being up this early.

>”Urgh…”

You hear the rustling of sheets and clothing nearby, as your fellows have already jumped out of bed and are preparing to respond to this unusual occurrence. You look across the room and see Chris still in her bed, and the two of you share an exhausted stare.

>Get out of bed

Determined to set a good example for her, you roll out of bed, barely managing to stand. 

“Oh, good. You’re still alive. I was worried something was wrong when you didn’t wake up in response to an _ alarm. _”

Tsubasa seems grumpy.

>”Alarm…?”

She looks over at you, a stern expression on her face.

“Yes. The Lieutenant isn’t the type to wake us up at this hour for anything other than a serious matter.”

She blinks once, and you see a blush creep up her cheeks before she whips her head back around to her own shoes.

“You might want to begin getting dressed.”

Chris laughs weakly as she rises from her blankets.

>”Oh… Oh! A-Alright…”

Tsubasa finishes her routine, and walks over to the door to wait for the rest of her comrades. Klara soon joins her.

>Get dressed

You keep pace with Chris as the two of you try in vain to catch up to the early risers. Chris attempts to tie her boots several times before sighing heavily and standing up.

“I hope this doesn’t become the usual...”

>”Yeah...What time is it anyway…”

“Just shy of 5 o’clock,” Tsubasa says with a slightly annoyed tone. “May we proceed? I don’t want to get lectured because of you two.”

>”Yeah, yeah...”

Klara wordlessly opens the door, and motions for everyone to leave as it clangs into the ceiling. The three girls leave the room.

You think it would be wise to follow them.

>Follow them

You tail the women as you all make your way to the bridge. As you cross the deck, the cold morning air whips past you. The ship is _ well _underway.

You all climb the stairs to the bridge, and are met by Elfnein, sitting alone at her console. She’s holding a small bowl, with a spoon handle poking over the top.

>”Morning…”

Elfnein swallows her last bite of cereal before blinking at you all. “That was fast!”

Chris groans.

>...

“We were simply responding to an unusual signal,” Tsubasa states with a waver in her voice. You’ve been training with her for two weeks and this is the first time you’ve seen anything other than pure confidence.

“Did you even eat?” Elfnein asks, concerned as always.

Chris groans again, louder this time.

>Shake head

You shake your head slowly.

“I’m guessing not...” She picks up the handset at her terminal and punches a few digits into the keypad. “Excuse me, Tomosato-san? Could you and Rhodes-san please bring our girls some breakfast?” She pauses, and you can hear speech on the other end of the line. “Yes, they’re already here!” Another pause. “Well, you never really... told them what to do, really...“ 

>...

“Thank you!” she says happily, and rests the handset gently on its handle. “They’ll be bringing you food. Hopefully something more substantial than cereal. It works for me, but you girls have a busy day ahead of you!”

>”S-So...Why are we awake so early?”

Chris collapses on one of the benches lining the back of the room. Elfnein jumps at the noise, and Klara rests a hand on her shoulder. She settles back down. “You’re awake because Rhodes-san wants to get you all briefed and on your way before too much of the day has passed! She wanted to give you time for a nice relaxing breakfast before the mission started... Oops.”

>”Mission…?”

Klara looks over at you, squinting slightly. “Perhaps this was a touch too early for our new friend, ja?”

Tsubasa sighs. “The reconnaissance mission that we’ve been sent here to carry out. Surely you haven’t forgotten?”

>”O-Oh right that mission...Sorry...Still not used to waking up this early...”

You hear the door open at the bottom of the stairwell, and a gust of cold air blows up into the room. Chris snaps up into a sitting position. After a moment, Rhodes, Ivan, and Tomosato climb up into view. Tomosato is holding a small tray of cups, still steaming, and Ivan has a few to-go boxes in his hands. Rhodes makes her way over to the central console as her staff members distribute the food and drink.

“I’m incredibly sorry, girls. I should have known we would be ahead of schedule.”

>Take the food and drink

Chris is already halfway done with her meal by the time you open your box to eat. The pancakes are still warm, somehow.

Rhodes gives you time to take a few bites while Tomosato and Ivan take their seats and begin working. She clears her throat.

“We’re nearly there. I’m sure you’ve guessed already, but I’m not taking any information for granted this morning after this mess.” She taps a few buttons on her console, and a large portion of window is replaced by a projected map of the mission area. “I’ve mentioned that the mission is in the Southeastern United States, but the exact location has been classified until now. We’re approaching the city of Savannah, Georgia.”

A red blob appears over a dot on the coastline, and the map zooms in slightly.

“We’ve had numerous reports of Alcanoise sightings near this city. Unfortunately, as of four days ago, reports have ceased.”

Tsubasa speaks up. “Surely that means the threat is less immediate?”

Rhodes shakes her head. “_ All _ reports have ceased. The city’s gone dark.”

“Oh.”

“We’ve got no idea what to expect, but it can’t be good. It’s your job to figure it out.”  
>”S-So… We’re heading into a danger zone?”

Rhodes glances over at Ivan before continuing. “Unfortunately, yes. I was hoping this would be a routine reconnaissance mission, but...“ She sighs, and brings down the projection of the map. “There’s nothing routine about this.”

>”I see...”

Chris puts her empty box down next to her, and stands up. “And with all those innocent people out there...“ 

“We can’t simply launch you out there and blow the whole thing up, no,” Rhodes confirms. “I’m sending you all out on our speeder. Ivan will pilot it, and will remain on the shore ready to depart at a moment’s notice. This is _ not _ a combat mission. Usage of force is _ absolutely not authorized _. If anything happens, your orders are to return to the ship to regroup and plan. Understood?”

>”Understood...”

A chorus of “Yes, ma’am”s come from the rest of your squad. A grin passes over Rhodes’s face before quickly being replaced once more by determination. “Be ready to deploy on the port-side deck launch in 20 minutes. The goal is landfall before sunrise.”

>...

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

18 minutes later, you find yourself standing next to a small boat with room for eight passengers suspended slightly above the deck of the ship. Ivan sits at the rear, with his hand resting on the outboard motor. As you wait for the fuelling to finish, Elfnein sprints out of the door to the bridge, holding something in her arms.

“Wait! Wait, I have something for you!”

She runs up to you, panting slightly. “I almost forgot but... this is what I’ve been working on.” She takes a few deep breaths and hands you the object. It’s a backpack, jet black. As you look at it, it seems to get even darker, blacker than black. Light seems to just roll off its surface.

“The others get to pull their Symphogears from thin air... I thought you might want something similar. It’s your own portable pocket of space. It should be stable! I think.” You take the backpack, and she nods quickly before scurrying back to the bridge. She really _ is _ a busy woman. You don the backpack, and it fits perfectly.

INVENTORY UNLOCKED.

You, Tsubasa, Chris, and Klara climb into the boat. You get lowered onto the ocean, Ivan starts the engine, and you speed off into the darkness.

The past two weeks have been strenuous. You’ve had to learn to fight from scratch. Luckily, Tsubasa’s specialty is swords, so you’ve had a good teacher. Chris has kept the environment from getting _ too _ serious, and you’re very thankful for that. Tsubasa can be... a lot, sometimes. Klara has been very glad to have someone to learn alongside, instead of simply trying to catch up to the other girls.

You look around the boat. Tsubasa, serious as always, squinting into the wind. Chris trying to sneak in a nap while things are still quiet. Klara flipping through some her sticky notes. And Ivan guiding you all towards the destination. It’s relaxing, and you’re very thankful for this peaceful moment.

Soon, Ivan throttles down the engine, and stops it. You can make out the outlines of tall buildings against the sky, only just starting to brighten as sunrise slowly arrives. The boat shakes as you run aground against the beach. The water is shin-deep, and somehow manages to _ look _ cold.

“We’re here. Remember your orders,” Ivan murmurs through his scarf.

You glance down at the water again, and exchange a worried look with Chris.

>Nod

You nod at her, and it seems to give her some confidence. She’s the first one off the boat, quickly trudging to dry land. Klara joins her soon after.

>Check Inventory

You go to take off the backpack, but before you do, you know that there is a dry pair of socks inside. You didn’t know this before, you had a thought simply appear. It’s unsettling, but probably useful. You also have your sword on your hip, as always.

>Head out

You take a deep breath to calm your nerves, and hop out. The cold water stings your ankles as you wade to shore. You look back and see Tsubasa, still sitting in the boat. She’s staring into the sky, towards the city.

>”Hey… Y-You coming?”

She sits in silence for a moment. She squints.

Tsubasa grabs Ivan and leaps from the boat, moments before an Alcanoise spears towards them from the early morning sky. The engine and back half of the boat are disintegrated into a fine red mist, and Ivan would have joined them. Tsubasa lands gracefully on the sand as Ivan rolls out from the impact.

The Alcanoise floats on the surface of the ocean, attempting to get airborne. It looks _ stuck, _ but it won’t be like that for long.

“We can’t use our Gears, our boat is fucked, and this thing is going to buzz off to God knows where!” Chris whispers angrily. “What the fuck are we supposed to do, Ivan?”

“I’ll radio back. Once Rhodes knows about this, she’ll authorize use of force. Until then, nothing.”

You stand a few feet away from a momentarily helpless Alcanoise, threatening to ruin your operation before it starts.

COMBAT TUTORIAL? Y/N

>Y

COMBAT IN FACE THE NIGHT WORKS IN PHASES. YOU WILL BE PRESENTED WITH SITUATIONS INVOLVING ENEMIES IN MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS, OR ALLIES UNDER THREAT. YOU MAY INTERVENE BY CHOOSING ONE OF THE SITUATIONS. YOU MAY ALSO USE ANY OBJECTS IN YOUR INVENTORY, WHICH WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU RESPOND TO THE SITUATIONS. IN ADDITION, YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPECIAL ATTACKS PER ENCOUNTER. AFTER UNLOCKING THEM, USE THE COMMAND ‘HELP SP MOVES’ TO LIST YOUR ATTACKS, AND ‘HELP [ATTACK NAME]’ FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE MOVE.

REPEAT TUTORIAL? Y/N

>N

You stand a few feet away from a momentarily helpless Alcanoise, threatening to ruin your operation before it starts.

>Look around

Chris, Tsubasa, and Klara are standing on the beach, with Ivan sitting beside them. Chris looks _ furious, _ and Ivan is trying to contact the _ Aria _. The beach is otherwise deserted.

The Alcanoise is struggling to get airborne.

>Look at Alcanoise

It’s a Flyer-type. They generally come in swarms, but this one seems to be alone. It’s a shimmering blue, and its nose is tipped with a solid white. According to your training, this white substance will destroy any unshielded objects. Like your boat.

>Help SP Moves

You don’t know what those are yet!

>Bap Noise

I’m sorry, I don’t understand!

>Attack Noise

You take a step back into the water, pulling your sword and sheath off your hip. You’ve taken Elfnein’s warning to heart, and have trained in using it while it remains sheathed.

You deliver a textbook blow to the Alcanoise’s body, and it disappears in a puff of red mist.

You notice that a small part of the sheath has dissolved as well, but as you watch, the red webbing glows brightly, reforming the sheath around the blade.

>”Uhm! Ivan! I-I think it’s dead now. W-What do we do about the boat!?”

Klara and Chris stare at you, slackjawed. Tsubasa looks startled for a moment before smiling, giving you a slight nod. “Very good form. Couldn’t have struck better myself.”

Ivan is still fiddling with his radio. He looks up at you.

“I suppose the order was strictly to not use any Symphogears. I don’t see a problem here. As far as the boat... I need to contact the _ Aria _ but the radio isn’t working. I’m getting nothing. Not even static.”

“Something’s jamming us then, ja?” Klara walks over to him.

“No question, we’re being jammed.” He pulls his scarf down and grins wildly. It’s the first time you’ve ever seen his face below his nose. “Command is unreachable and we need a new plan. I’m in command now.”

Chris takes a small step back. “I’m... awaiting orders, sir. Over here.”

>”So...W-What do we do?”

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

Ivan’s grin fades slightly above his grey stubble. He stands up and brushes the sand off of his pants as he turns toward the city. The tops of the buildings are lit by the sun rising behind you, almost like they’re burning.

You see smoke rising behind them.

Something _ is _ burning.

Ivan frowns. “That looks like a lead. Uphold the mission. I’ll stay back and keep working on this radio. Might be able to push through on another band.”

>Nod

The four of you nod in unison. Tsubasa and Klara set off towards the rough brick steps leading off the beach up to the streets.

Chris takes a step to follow, but pauses and turns to wait for you.

>Follow Chris

You make your way to the stairs as well. You watch Tsubasa and Klara climb the steps ahead of you, only to stop abruptly at the top.

>Look around

You’re near the bottom of a flight of stairs, blocked from climbing the seawall by two of your companions at the top. The beach stretches quite far in both directions, hemmed in by rough patches of rocks jutting from the waves. The sunrise has well and truly begun.

>”H-Hey...What’s wrong?”

Klara turns her head and sees you waiting at the bottom. She moves to the side and gently pulls Tsubasa with her.

“See for yourself.”

>Go up to where they are

You climb the stairs with Chris on your heels.

>Look around

You cast your eyes across the beachfront street. Or what remains of it, at least. The asphalt is almost completely demolished, with dozens of craters linking together in a web of holes. The shops lining the street, however, seem completely intact.

Tsubasa shakes the surprise off her face and steps forward to peer into the nearest crater, while Chris and Klara carefully cross the street to investigate the shops.

>”Oh, so that’s what you paused for.”

None of them respond to you.

>Investigate the shops

You pick your way around the holes and join Chris and Klara on the other side of the street. You find yourselves standing in front of a shop called “Savannah Bananas”. It looks like they sell smoothies.

You cup your hands to block out the ever-brightening sun behind you and peer inside. A young woman with a broom is sweeping the floors. She doesn’t notice you.

>Go inside

You take a step forward, and slam into the locked glass door. Chris rushes over and puts a hand on your shoulder.

The woman inside looks up at you. “We open in half an hour, calm down!” She resumes sweeping.

>”Ow...”

“Are you okay? That sounded like it hurt! Do you need me to find some bandages?” Chris is very concerned about any potential injury you may have sustained.

>”No...I-I’m alright...”

She sighs and takes a step back. “Weird how they’re still doing business, it looks like a war zone out here...“

>”Hm...Yeah that is strange.”

Tsubasa crosses the street while you all ponder this new information. She stops next to Chris. “I can confirm that this is the result of Alcanoise. Some of the craters have that red dust.” She looks around at you all, and her gaze pauses at the window. “Is that a civilian?”

>”Y-Yes...S-She seems to still be d-doing business too…”

“We’ll have to put that on hold. If you recall, there’s a fire somewhere to the west. We should make our way there as soon as possible.”

>Nod

“Shall we look for the main road, or try the alleyways?”

>”I-I think the alleyways s-should be fine...”

Klara and Chris nod in approval, and you all turn down the first small street you can find.

Savannah is nothing like neo-Tokyo, but it reminds you a lot of your hometown. Sure, you didn’t have buildings that were _ quite _ so tall, but here, just outside the main business district, the layout feels very familiar. The side streets aren’t really alleys, but roads that are slightly narrower than normal. 

As you walk, you see the street remains unusable but the buildings alongside are completely untouched. Ahead of you, at an intersection, you see a man wearing a brown apron setting up chairs on the sidewalk.

>Look around

The street you’re walking down has a direct view of the smoke column. You’re definitely heading in the right direction. The buildings are an interesting mix of residential and commercial, with restaurants and clothing shops in excess. The man in the apron is busy with his chairs.

>Sigh

You sigh heavily. Your nose still stings a bit from the run-in with the door.

>”Reminds me of home...”

>Approach the man

You walk slightly faster, brushing past Tsubasa as you walk up to the man. He notices you and straightens up, a smile resting underneath his thick grey moustache. 

>”Uhm...D-Do you know anything about...You know...The craters?”

He laughs heartily as your companions catch up to you. “You girls picked a bad time for a beach trip!” He leans against one of the chairs, slightly out of breath. “We’ve had some Noise trouble lately. They don’t mess with us, they just seem to-”

He coughs once.

“They seem to really hate asphalt.” He pushes the chair back in and opens the door to his cafe. “Got time for a latte, ladies?”

>”...S-Should we?”

Klara rolls her eyes. “Homura, did you forget so quickly? You can even see the smoke from here!”

>”O-Oh...R-Right…”

“Can I get a black coffee to g- HEY! Hands off!”

Chris nearly finishes her sentence before Tsubasa pulls her away from the door. Klara laughs. “I think we should follow, ja?”

>”Y-Yeah...”

She walks off.

>Follow

CHECKPOINT REACHED. GAME SAVED.

You pass a few people as you continue towards the smoke. None of them seem bothered by the nearby fire.

After a few minutes of walking, you can see the flashing lights of the fire department. You continue walking, and see that the source of the lights is a helicopter parked in a grocery store parking lot, next to a spout of fire shooting up from the destroyed road.

The firefighters are surrounded by lancer Alcanoise forming a wall around the helicopter. You see a small swarm of fliers slamming their bodies into the street.

Your companions all instinctively reach for the pendants around their necks.

>Get into fighting stance

You take the sword, still sheathed, into your hands as you run towards the Alcanoise. Beside you, you hear Chris activating her relic.

_ Kilter, Ichaival tron... _

>Look around

The two groups of Alcanoise have definitely noticed you. The lancers have abandoned the helicopter in favor of approaching your group menacingly. Chris has already rooted herself, and she sends a hail of bullets at the fliers as guitars churn.

_ Billion Maiden _, you find yourself thinking.

The other two have donned their Symphogears as well, and have taken up posts guarding Chris.

You can join them in a defensive stance, or you could charge into the lancers with your weapon that has already proven to be very effective.

>Bap lancers

I’m sorry, I don’t understand.

>Charge into the lancers

You take a deep breath and charge past Tsubasa and Klara. A burst of electricity flies over your left shoulder, obliterating one of the lancers. You hear Tsubasa yelling behind you.

“Are you insane? You’re unshielded!”

You can continue the charge and test your luck, or fall back to the line.

>Quicksave

GAME SAVED.

>Continue the charge

Ignoring her plea, you charge forward into the group of lancers. You take one out with a lunge as you meet the group.

You are quickly surrounded by Alcanoise lancers.

>Draw blade

ARE YOU SURE? Y/N

>Y

You pull the sword out of its sheath. The red webbing on the sheath pulses brightly, and the black quickly crawls on to your arm. It feels like your hand has already frozen to the point of numbness, and you find yourself loving the feeling.

You feel a sharp pressure in your chest.

“NO!” Tsubasa’s scream is as painful as the wound. You look down, and see a lance piercing your chest. The corruption subsides as you dissolve into red mist.

GAME OVER.

LOAD LAST SAVE? Y/N

>Y

LOADING LAST SAVE.

You take a deep breath and charge past Tsubasa and Klara. A burst of electricity flies over your left shoulder, obliterating one of the lancers. You hear Tsubasa yelling behind you.

“Are you insane? You’re unshielded!”

You can continue the charge and test your luck, or fall back to the line.

>Fall back to the line

You skid to a stop, nearly losing your balance, as you run back towards your comrades. You see Tsubasa spread her arms as she sends hundreds of small blue blades at the group.

_ One Thousand Tears, _ apparently. You hope that doesn’t get annoying.

Her attack destroys almost the entire group, with two survivors left charging toward you.

You can swing at the left one, and let Tsubasa finish the one on the right, or you can kill the right one while Klara deals with the left.

>Attempt to swing at both, starting with the right

You step forward and wildly swing at the one on the right, in an attempt to take care of both. It easily moves out of the way of your swing. Before it can capitulate, however, Tsubasa’s sword cleaves it in two as Klara smashes the other into mist.

A series of nearby explosions provides the final push to knock you over. 

“Mega Deth Party does that sometimes. It’s kinda the point,” Chris says, looking over her shoulder at you with a smug grin on her face. Tsubasa, however, looks upset. At you.

>Nonchalantly dust off dress

You try to dust your dress off, but that’s hard to do while lying face down in a destroyed street. Your companions deactivate their Symphogears as everyone regroups.  
>Stand up

You stand up as Tsubasa stares you down.

>Nonchalantly dust off dress

You once again attempt to brush the dust and dirt off your dress. 

You are successful.

“Why would you charge _ head first _ into a pack of Alcanoise?! You have no shielding, and you learned how to swing that blade _ two weeks ago! _” You’ve never seen Tsubasa yell like this. You wonder if she always cries when she yells. 

>”Hmm, I thought there were less of them than there were.”

“Even if that was true, they are melee specialists, and you, as you _ so clearly _ demonstrated, are not!” She pauses to heave a breath. “I don’t want more death on my hands.”

>”More, huh?”

Her brow furrows as she blinks back the last of her tears. Chris walks over and puts a hand on her shoulder.

This moment feels like several minutes, but only a few seconds later, one of the firefighters runs over to you.

“I have no idea how you just did that, but right now I just wanna thank you. I thought we were gonna die!”

>”O-Oh...Uhm...”

Tsubasa quickly regains her composure with a deep breath. “You didn’t. Thankfully. What’s going on here?” 

“We’ve been dealin’ with this same group of Noise for a few weeks now. They would pop up and run around for a few minutes, and then disappear for a day or two. Now, I ain’t no expert but it was making me real nervous, seein’ em so... docile. Reminded me of that concert on the news last year, with them hostages.”

“I... Er... I’m going to see if there are any injuries. Yukine, please talk to this civilian!” Tsubasa seems very nervous for some reason. She hurries off towards the other side of the street.

“I- Wha- Idiot!” Chris stammers. She rubs the back of her head and looks at the firefighter. “So, they weren’t hurting anyone?”

“No,” he replied, “no body and no thing, not until a coupla days ago. Then they just started smashin’ up the roads! We’ve been makin’ do, but today they finally hit a gas line. Thing lit up like a weldin’ torch.”

“So that’s why- Okay. Do you know anyone who might have a better idea of what’s going on here?” Chris sounds more than a little exasperated at her sudden responsibility.

The man crosses his arms. “Last I heard, there was some science types from Atlanta that holed up in the church, other side of town.”

“A church?”

“If it were me, I’d think it’s the safest place too!”

Chris sighs and turns to you and Klara. “I think we’ve got some walking to do.”

>”Y-Yeah...Sounds like it...”

Klara waves at Tsubasa, beckoning her to return. “Kazanari, we’ve got a lead! Come on!”

The firefighter tries to snap his fingers through his glove, unsuccessfully. “That’s why she looked so familiar!” He waits until she returns before continuing. “Look, my daughter’s a fan a’ yours and she’d raise all hell if she found out I made y’all walk across town with my chopper right here.”

Tsubasa flushes red and glares at Klara. Chris grabs the firefighter’s glove and shakes it in gratitude. “God, yes, please! Anything to get off these legs for a bit...“

“I’ll go help the rest of ‘em finish gettin’ this fire under control, and we’ll get you ladies over there faster ‘n you can blink!”

END OF EPISODE FOUR.


End file.
